How to Pull Yourself Out of a Shame Spiral
There was a time recently when it felt like something broke inside of me. It felt like a switch flipped in my head, turning on a vacuum of shame, and I was feeling lower than I’d felt in a long time.
I’m no stranger to feeling low — depression is a place I used to spend a lot of time. So it was fascinating, after years of being mentally and emotionally stable and actually quite happy, to notice me transitioning back to that sad, shameful, and isolating space of depression.
This time, though, I knew what to do.
I knew how to hold space for the growing tenderness and instead of isolating and spiraling deeper and deeper into shame, I met myself with love and compassion.
I pulled myself out of something that, years ago, would have rocked me for weeks — if not months — and I am so proud of myself for it.
You can do this, too. You just need some practice doing the three exercises I outline in this article.
I know you can do this because I did it. I was never the person who just “pulled herself out” of depression. I’ve always wanted to strangle people who say stupid stuff like, “happiness is a choice” because for a while there it never felt like an easy choice for me.
